CARE / DRY-CLEANING GUIDE FOR SUITS AND OTHER FINE GARMENTS
1. FOR SUIT JACKETS
- Don't overstuff your jacket pockets with bulky items.
- Before sitting down, remember to unbutton the jacket to be comfortable and to preserve the buttons, and pull the trousers up slightly so that the fabric and stitching are not overstrained.
- Use a suitable brush to clean your clothes, and avoid ones with very stiff bristles so they do not scratch the fabric.
- Hang the suit neatly on a hanger and store it in a vacuum bag, to guard against moths and to keep it from being crammed in with other clothes, where it wrinkles easily.
- Suit fabrics are usually made from components such as T/R (synthetic fibers), linen, wool, silk or various other fibers, but mostly natural and expensive ones. For that reason, these garments must not be machine-washed, which would damage them.
For a light stain, you can use a toothbrush and wash gently by hand.
Otherwise, use a dry-cleaning service at a reputable cleaner near where you live, or at one of Mon Amie's locations. - Limit how often you wash a suit jacket in water. For small stains, blot dry or dry-clean, and steam-press when necessary.
- Hand-wash only, rubbing gently. A man's suit jacket must be hand-washed the right way so that it does not fade or lose its shape.
- Never wash a suit jacket in a washing machine, as it will very likely crumple it and ruin its shape: the spinning drum crumples the jacket and damages the structure inside that holds its shape (canvas, interfacing, shoulder pad foam...), which spoils its silhouette.
- Never machine-wash a suit jacket
- When scrubbing stains, choose a soft-bristled brush rather than a stiff one, because stiff bristles scratch the fabric, cause pilling and fade the color of the suit, making it fade sooner.
- Do not wash or soak a suit in water hotter than 70°C. This will shrink the inner layers of the jacket and make the suit wrinkle.
- Do not wring (twist) a suit forcefully while washing and drying it.
- Do not press an ordinary iron “directly” onto the fabric surface of a suit, as it will make the fabric shiny (scorch it).
2. FOR SHIRTS AND DRESS TROUSERS
2.1. Hand washing:
- Too much detergent makes the fabric surface wear and fade easily, so use just enough. Before washing, soak the garment in the detergent for 5–10 minutes.
- If a stain does set in, the ideal approach is to wash it as soon as possible, because the longer it stays, the more firmly it clings to the garment. You can add a little natural brewed vinegar to water and soak the garment in it before washing, to help limit color fading.
- Before putting a shirt in the washing machine, it is ideal to fasten all the buttons, so the shirt keeps its original shape and the collar and cuff linings do not crease or break.
- Note: read the washing instructions printed on the label of the shirt or trousers carefully, and choose a suitable setting when using a washing machine.
- Wash whites and colored items separately to limit color fading.
- Do not dry it in strong sun or very high temperatures, as this will fade the garment
- Do not wring the jacket when drying it
- Let the jacket dry naturally
- Steam-press the jacket once it has dried
- When sitting, take care not to let the hem of the jacket fold, to avoid wrinkling
- Unbutton the jacket when sitting, for your comfort
- Button the jacket when standing, which shows courtesy, style and elegance
- Do not put too many items or heavy objects in the jacket pockets
- Hang the suit jacket on a wide, purpose-made hanger to avoid wrinkling and losing its shape.
- Choose a suitable hanger whose length matches the width of the jacket/trousers, to avoid dents on the shoulders that spoil the look
- The final step to a flawless outfit: after washing, press it perfectly flat before wearing.
Conclusion
In this article, Mon Amie has pointed out small care tips that help your suit look sharper after wearing. We hope the article is useful to you. Choose a reputable dry cleaner, or one of Mon Amie's locations.